Ordinarily
by AdayaSage
Summary: Only one question remains..."Why did you let life become so ordinary?"  AU  Rating may go up to Teen later. HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Ordinarily

"Since when did you let life become so ordinary?"

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**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the plot line, all characters, stores, music, and whatever else is referenced belong to their respective owners. 

Warnings: None

Pairings: Many referenced, no Yaoi or Yuri, Main pairing undecided.

Side notes: AU

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Ordinarily she wouldn't be here, she wouldn't be here at all. If everything was ordinary, like it should've been, nothing would have changed, everything would have gone on exactly the same as it had since the day she was born.

It was her last day of actual High School, and for some reason or another she was sitting in the principal's office, getting yelled at over some prank she hadn't even done. Tidus had done it. So she blamed him for this.

"Miss Tilmitt, in all my days I've never seen a child with a more disruptive record make it through high school without being kicked out. Your lucky your even getting to graduate next week. What do you plan on doing after you've moved on from this place?" He paused a moment and sighed. "Do you want your life to keep going like this? You can't just live on pranks, and you can't just follow those two boys around. What are you going to do?" The principal with the strange glowing eyes looked down on her. Selphie had been sitting in his office for at least twenty minutes now.

"Principal Ansem, I do have plans, I've been getting ready for college, and I don't just follow them around!" She felt her voice gaining strength, knowing that before long the psychotic principal would no longer be a part of her life. "Those are my friends." She said, a little quieter, not wanting her shot at graduation to be ruined. The man glared at her with his strange eyes, she always hated his eyes, they looked so lifeless.

"Well, I'm glad you've planned for something." He sighed, his fingers on the bridge of his nose like he had a headache. "You may go now Miss Tilmitt."

"Thank you sir." She said and stood, picking up her tote bag with a smile. School had gotten out not ten minutes ago, maybe she'd be able to catch up with Tidus and Wakka before they left.

She nearly ran down the halls, waving goodbyes to all her friends and acquaintances. Selphie couldn't believe all this was ending. She felt a twinge of worry and fear as she walked out of the front entrance for what might be one of the last times. She took in a sharp breath, a million memories coming into her mind at once.

Going to her first dance with Tidus, her and Kairi going on their first dates, Riku, Sora, Wakka, there were so many friends here. So many memories. She couldn't believe that she was leaving all this. All of them. A little tear fell from her normally cheerful green eyes and drifted down her cheek. With a sad smile she wiped it away, that bright as sunlight smile coming back to her face.

"Tidus! Wakka!" She called and waved, the boy with the sandy blonde hair turned first and looked at her.

"Come on Selphie! We're going to the café to have a little celebration before we head home." Tidus called. Wakka smiled at her, he should've graduated last year, but thanks to being suspended so much from him and Tidus' antics he had missed quite a few classes.

"Coming!" She called and ran down the steps, her blue and white uniform clean and pressed. She always looked her best at school. Always believed that she should. Selphie was the social butterfly, she would talk to anyone and everyone. Sure that made her grades suffer just a little bit, and then she'd have to make up for it with tons of extra credit. But she loved all the people she had gotten a chance to know, all the ones she had gotten to see.

Selphie sprinted down the sidewalk to catch up with her two childhood friends. She walked in between them as they chatted and laughed together. It had been like this since they were old enough to walk. The three were inseparable. What was going to happen now that they all had to go their separate ways?

Wakka and Tidus were each heading to different colleges on Blitz Ball scholarships. Selphie was heading to medical school. Yuck. Her fathers choice of profession since everyone would always need doctors and she'd make a lot of money. That's not what she wanted to do at all, but her father didn't think her dream was anything worth pursuing. And with her grades it wasn't too hard to get in.

Selphie shook all these sad thoughts away as she and her friends made their way down the sidewalk. Warm Destiny Islands sunlight drifted down on them, Selphie always swore the light was magical, she loved magic. She loved fairytales and romance, and all those other things that girls loved. Her boys would tease her for it every now and again. But they still accepted her, still understood why she liked being that way.

"Man, I can't believe this ya, it seems like yesterday you and Tidus were in kindergarten fightin' over glue." Wakka smiled as he walked with his hands behind his head. He had always been the perfect islander, never wondering what was past his perfect home. Unlike their friend Riku. He was certainly a strange one, he had always questioned their little paradise. Maybe he didn't know how to accept it for what it was.

"Pssh, I won though. Selphie was way too much of a wimp to take me on." Tidus grinned proudly. Selphie shoved his shoulder playfully.

"Yeah right, I had you begging for mercy. Besides, your not as great an athlete as you think you are if I can outrun you." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Whatever." He pouted. He still acted like such a child.

The rest of the walk to the café was spent laughing and reminiscing about the 'good old days' as Wakka put it.

They walked into the little place, a café that had been run by the same woman for years. She and her less than friendly husband had moved to town when Selphie was ten and opened the place up. She and Tidus immediately dubbed it their hang out spot, along with Wakka, of course, and they had come here at least once a week since. What would it be like after they left?

They walked in and Tidus and Wakka grabbed seats at their usual booth while Selphie went to grab their usual. There was so much tradition here. How could she leave it all behind?

Selphie pushed her chocolaty hair back and walked up to the front counter. Aerith stood there with her usual gentle smile. Her husband Leon was probably in the back of the shop somewhere. He didn't do well with handling customers. Selphie smiled at the thought, he had nearly lost his mind during the lunch rush when he Aerith had been out sick.

"Good afternoon Selphie, you want the usual?"

"Yes, thank you." Selphie chirped happily. "We're celebrating our last day of high school!"

"Congratulations, got any plans before college starts up next year?" She asked as she started grabbing the order. Three milkshakes, one vanilla, for Tidus, chocolate for Wakka, and strawberry for Selphie.

"Not really, Wakka and Tidus are leaving for Twilight Town early since they don't want to live on campus. So it will just be me here for a while until my classes start in the spring." Selphie sighed.

"Your going to miss them, huh?"

"More than anything."

Aerith seen the sad look on the girl's normally smiling face. Poor thing, she remembered how hard this time had been on her when she was Selphie's age.

"What courses are you taking?" Aerith changed the subject, glad to see the light return to the girl's eyes.

"I'm going to medical school, but there's a writer's workshop near my college that I'm going to." Selphie grinned.

"I didn't know you liked writing. What do you write about?"

Selphie blushed a little and scuffed her shoe against the tile floor. She reluctantly looked up to meet Aerith's green eyes that were so much like her own.

"Um…Fantasy. That's my favorite to write."

"Well, good luck with everything Selphie. And don't worry about Tidus and Wakka. I've got a feeling your friendship can withstand anything." Selphie smiled, Aerith always did know the right thing to say. She handed the girl her order, while Selphie quickly paid. She walked over to the booth, that little bounce in her step back as she sat down with her two best friends.

"We should make a toast!" Tidus exclaimed, taking his milkshake from the tray.

"You've been watchin' too many movies." Wakka shook his head with a smile.

"No seriously, this is like, an important thing!"

"I agree with Tidus, we should make a toast." Selphie giggled and sat beside the sandy haired boy.

"Alright ya," Wakka awkwardly held up his cup. "To Blitz Ball!" He grinned. Selphie sighed and shook her head.

"To the end of high school drama!" Tidus exclaimed. Selphie grinned and then held her own cup forward.

"To the best of friends." She said with a grin.

"I'll drink to that."

"Same here. " They each took a drink, though Tidus and Wakka then made a contest out of who could finish chugging their milkshake first. Wakka smiled slyly as he watched Tidus chug his down in record time.

"Done!" He slammed his cup down on the table. Then a look of pain contorted his face. Wakka smiled and leisurely sipped on his milkshake, knowing what was coming.

"Brian freeze!" Tidus groaned and massaged his temples. Selphie started cracking up, even though it wasn't that funny, it was just another moment she would never forget.

"How can you get brain freeze without a brain, ya?" That sent Selphie into another fit of giggles as Wakka joined in.

After another twenty minutes of just talking and relaxing they decided it was finally tome to head home.

"I'll see you Saturday!" Selphie called over her shoulder as she walked down the sidewalk towards her house. Her boys smiled and waved at her as they made their way in the opposite direction. Each of them had bags to pack and preparations to make. They were leaving town on the Monday after graduation. Graduation was next Saturday, that only left one week where things would be normal. And then they'd be gone. She'd be moving to Radiant Garden in the spring, but that seemed like so long from now. She didn't just want to be stuck here without anyone.

Nearly everyone she knew was leaving early. Kairi and Sora were heading to Twilight Town together, Riku was heading off with his girlfriend Xion on a road trip that would probably last months. Selphie was the only one without any big plans.

With a sigh she unlocked the front door of her little house, her parents wouldn't be home for a while, they were going out to look for a graduation gift for her today. It was so quiet inside, like no one lived there at all.

Selphie went up to her room and laid on her bed, daydreaming and remembering all sorts of things. She wished she could call Kairi and tell her about how she felt, how it seemed like everyone was leaving. But she couldn't weigh Kairi down. It had taken all this time for her and Sora to finally realize they were in love with each other, after they got together she had never seen either of them sad in the least.

She didn't want to ruin Kairi's good mood with her worries.

Everything was changing, so quickly, so fast, but one thing struck her. Everything about this whole ordeal, at least her part of it, felt ordinary.

She hadn't met the guy of her dreams in high school, like she had always planned. And now she was going off to start a career in a profession she didn't even like.

Everyone else's lives seemed so…Extraordinary. Kairi had her prince, Tidus and Wakka were going to be professional athletes, Riku and his girlfriend were off to new adventures. And she was here.

How had a dreamers' life become so ordinary?


	2. Of  Pranks  and  Paint  Splatter

Of Pranks and Paint Splatter

The evening had passed slowly, and finally Selphie's parents got home, eagerly hiding her gift in their bedroom. Her mother got started on dinner while her father sat at his computer desk, working on some business project. Selphie smiled to herself as she walked down the stairs. Her parents were the best in the world, her dad could be a little overbearing at times, but he wanted what was best for her. And her mom…Her mother was an angel, a real angel, she had to be. There was no other way to explain her heart, her kindness.

"Hiya guys!" Selphie grinned and walked into the kitchen.

"Hello Selphie. How was your last day of high school?" Her mother asked excitedly, mixing a big bowl of something. Selphie hoped she was making cookies, those would definetly make her feel better.

"It was great, I kind of got called into the principals office though…" Selphie said nervously, hoping her parents wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

"What did he do this time?" Her mother sighed, referring to Tidus. Selphie giggled.

"He wanted the school year to end with a bang, so he rolled a paint bomb into the music room when the band was practicing." Selphie grinned, remembering how mad the tuba players had been when their instruments and their clothes were covered in green paint. She had to admit, that prank was genius.

Selphie's mother smiled a bit and returned her attention to the batter.

"They leave soon, don't they?"

"Yeah…" Selphie wished her mom wouldn't bring that stuff up. She couldn't even spend this week with them because they were too busy getting their trip in order, and their parents wanted them home as much as possible.

"It's going to be okay honey, but-"

"When's dinner going to be ready?" Called her father, cutting her mother off.

"Soon!" She answered and then gave Selphie a wink. "I'll talk to you about it after dinner, okay?"

"About what?"

"You'll see." Her mother smiled brightly and then shooed her out of the kitchen.

"Alright, be all secretive then." Selphie joked and stuck her tongue out. Her mother did it back.

Selphie reluctantly walked out of the kitchen, wondering what her mom could be planning. She heard a faint ringing coming from upstairs, she waited a few moments, not realizing what it was. Her eyes widened a little as she recognized her ring tone.

Selphie rushed up the stairs and into her bedroom. She dove across her bed, her yellow blanket messily bunching up, and grabbed the phone off of her nightstand.

" 'ello?" She answered, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hiya Selph!"

"Hey Kairi, what are you up to? I thought you and Sora had a date tonight."

"Well, we did, but I cancelled it-"

"What? Why, did you two break up? Oh Kairi-"

"Calm down! No, we didn't break up, but we came up with a fun idea. Sora decided he wanted to have one last guys night out and so I thought I should put together a girls night."

"Tonight?"

"Yep, can you come?" Kairi sounded overly pleased with herself. Selphie grinned, this was a perfect idea! Maybe it'd keep her from getting too upset over Tidus and Wakka leaving.

"Let me go and check in with my parents. I call you back in like ten minutes with the verdict."

Selphie and Kairi said their goodbye's as Selphie ran back down the stairs.

"Mom!" She called as she skidded to a stop in the kitchen. "Can I please, pretty please, go out with my friends tonight! Kairi's got this girls night out thing planned for us. Please!" Selphie said, giving her mother the puppy dog eyes just in case she was thinking about saying no.

"Go ahead, but I really do need to talk to you when you get back, alright? So don't come home too late."

"It's a deal, love you mom, I'll see you later!" Selphie hurried and changed out of her uniform into a pair of jeans and a yellow long sleeved top, and was out the door as quick as lighting.

…

"Wow, they really made this place cool this year." Selphie said looking around. They were on the High School campus, looking at all of the games and such that had been set up. It looked like a miniature circus.

"I know right. So what are we doing here? Let's go have some fun girls!" Rikku said in her high pitched voice, she was just about to graduate too. She was the girl who had followed Wakka around school like a lovesick puppy all year.

"Where should we go first?" Came the monotonous voice of Paine, her Silver hair fell into her crimson eyes.

Selphie looked around at all the other girls, Kairi, Yuffie, Rikku, Paine, Yuna. Her best girl friends in the whole world. They'd been through a lot together. What a great memory this would make.

"Hey Kairi, weren't the guys coming here too?" Selphie asked with a grin.

"Yup, Sora and his whole gang. Why, what were you planning?" Kairi seen that mischievous glow light up Selphie's normally innocent green eyes.

"Still trying to figure out a way to completely embarrass them…But how?"

"Hmm…" Kairi said, and put a finger to her chin, thoughtfully.

"I've got an idea." A rare smile lit up Paine's pale features as she had the other girls gather round to listen to the plan.

…

It was about an hour before operation Liven Up, was ready and organized.

"Alright, so Selphie, you and I will get Axel and Riku to the appropriate spots, while Kairi grabs Sora, Yuffie will grab Roxas, Yuna will find Tidus, and Rikku can get Wakka." Paine said, the slightest hint of excitement in her voice.

"Yay!" Rikku grinned, that was perfect, she'd wanted a chance to ask Wakka out all week. They had to at least go out once before he took off.

"Alright, so it's all settled, let's just try not to do it all at once so the guys don't get suspicious."

"Got it!" Rikku grinned.

"Let's go!" Yuffie said, on the ready.

"Alright, on your marks, get set…Go!" Selphie cried out as all the girls hurried off in their separate directions. After hanging out with Sora's gang so much Kairi's group had a pretty good idea of what would set the guys off.

This would work out perfectly.

…

Selphie wandered through the stalls as innocently as could be, keeping her eyes open for a certain redhead. Axel was a character, that's why she liked being around him so much. He was loud, and bold, and he had a temper to match. Selphie couldn't get enough of him, though she'd never admit that out loud.

Her eyes caught sight of a bright splash of crimson and she smiled brightly to herself. She was glad Tidus had shown her his paint supply when he had pulled that prank on the band kids.

…

Yuna walked around, her usual grace in her steps as she looked around for Tidus. She giggled a little, unable to keep herself from being excited, this would be the best high school memory yet if they could pull it off.

…

Yuffie practically sprinted through the fair searching for the quiet blonde, she had an idea he could help with, and it'd make the guys that much less suspicious.

…

Selphie grinned as a faint blush colored her cheeks. There he was, in his jeans and a black t-shirt. He had a checkered wristband, like Roxas' around his wrist, his red hair spiked up.

Selphie took in a deep breath and then walked over to him with a smile. He and Roxas were leaning over some game thing that they were trying to win. Selphie didn't know what it was though. She rarely paid attention to much when Axel was around.

She tapped the taller of the two on the shoulder and smiled cutely as his emerald green eyes turned on her. They were so alive. Alive like a forest growing in the sunlight, just as vibrant. His upside down tear mark tattoos stood out bright against his fair skin. He must've gotten them young, she'd never seen him without them.

"Hello Selphie." He said in that strange voice of his.

"Hiya Axel! Do you think you could help me win a game? This one stall has the cutest moogle plushy I've ever seen." She flashed her childlike smile.

"Um, sure, hey Roxas, I'll be right back, kay?"

"Sure thing Axel." Roxas said, not taking his eyes off the game. Axel shook his head with a smile, Roxas was certainly determined, he'd give him that. Axel quickly followed as Selphie led him around. Where was she going? She seemed to be taking every twist and turn that she could find as she led him through the fair.

About ten minutes later Yuffie casually walked up to Roxas and leaned down next to him, watching as he tried to catch one of the fish swimming about. He was trying to get that pesky orange one, the prize winner.

"Hey Roxy, how's it going?"

"Pretty good." He said, focus not wavering for an instant. Without a word Yuffie pulled the net out of his hand and scooped up the orange fish in a matter of seconds.

"Hey!" Roxas exclaimed. Yuffie winked and dropped the fish back in it's place, bounding off without a word. Roxas jogged after her, taking the bait, having forgotten about the game for the time being.

…

"Um, Tidus?" Yuna looked up into the bright blue eyes that made her weak at the knees.

"Yeah, Yuna?" He asked, blonde bangs falling into his eyes a bit.

"I've got something…I sort of wanted to talk about with you." She said, looking about nervously.

"What is it?" Concern was in his blue eyes, making her feel guilty.

"I-Could we talk privately somewhere?"

"Sure, pick a spot."

…

Paine managed to get Riku to the place no questions asked, he could be so gullible at times, tell him Xion was waiting for him somewhere and he would be there within seconds. A diligent boyfriend? Yes. A smart one? Not a chance.

…

Rikku and Wakka were chatting not far away from the spot when Selphie brought Axel to the designated place. With an exaggerated gasp she turned around.

"What's up?"

"Omygosh! I forget my purse back at the cotton candy stall. I'll be right back." She said and ran off, leaving Axel there with his hands in his pockets. Now what?

…

All Kairi had to do to get Sora there was to ask him to take a walk with her, he was probably the easiest of the guys to trick. Kairi made a quick excuse that she was feeling cold and had left her jacket in her car and left. Sora looked around the relatively quiet spot, only to see…

"Axel, what are you doing here?"

"Selph dragged me all the way over here and then flipped out about losing her purse or something…" He said with a sigh. It was plain in his eyes that he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Oh hey guys!" Rikku grinned and waved at the two. Wakka, who stood beside her waved as well. She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to Sora and Axel.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked. She was so thankful for all those drama classes now, they were perfect for tricking people

"Waiting." They said in unison, both looking completely bored.

Wakka laughed at the pair and shook his head.

"Girls got you to on a tight leash, ya?" He laughed. Rikku punched him the arm.

"Hey!" She said with a pout.

"Just kiddin', lighten up Rikku." He laughed again, a little more nervously this time.

Before long Riku was standing there with them, arms folded as he looked around for Paine, where had she run off too? Tidus and Yuna joined the group shortly after. The guys all looked at each other, knowing something must be up.

Why had all the girls dragged them here?

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Riku glanced around, pushing his silver bangs back from his eyes. Before he had a chance to think further on this there was a shout.

"Fire!" Came the loud voice of Selphie from somewhere in the bushes. And just like that, they were ambushed. All the girls had disappeared from the scene, hiding behind the bushes with their stash of ammo, water balloons, filled to the brim with green paint.

The balloons hurled over the hedges, splashing the guys like crazy, they tried to run for cover, but it was no use. They were surrounded. Rikku and Paine were on either side of them. Yuffie and Yuna were behind them, and Selphie and Kairi were in front of them. There was no getting out of this.

Roxas stood up from his hiding place in the bushes after the firing had stopped. Every guy was covered in green paint, running down his hair, staining his clothes. Yuffie was the first girl to leaving her hiding spit, she fell to the ground with tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard. Riku's pristine hair was now a matted green mess that he was trying to fix.

"Say cheese!" Roxas grinned and brought out his digital camera. He snapped a few photos and then wisely ran towards the parking lot, knowing he wouldn't get far from Axel after the shock had worn off. He would so kill him.

"Score for the girls!" Rikku and Selphie high fived as they looked at the mess.

"I can't believe you did this. Look at my hair!" Riku growled angrily and then stormed off, unable to handle his pride being wounded. Which only made the girls laugh even harder. Sora was cracking up, Axel let out a chuckle or two as well. Wakka was standing off to the side talking with Rikku again.

"That was awesome!" Sora exclaimed, a playful look came to his face as he slowly made his way towards Kairi.

"Sora…What are you doing?" She asked slowly, amethyst eyes wide.

"Payback." Was all Sora said as he leaped towards her, she squealed and ran off into the fair again, the pair disappeared as they played their game.

Selphie giggled, Sora was such a kid sometimes. She looked at Axel, his red hair weighed down by the thick paint, you could barely even see the real color any more.

"No hard feelings?" She asked and stretched out her hand, ready to shake on it. He smiled wickedly and looked down at her. He ran a hand through his hair and before she had time to think a huge glob of green paint came down on her head.

"Eww!" She screamed, trying to get it out of her hair. She kicked him in the shin and turned her back on him angrily. Did he have any idea how hard it was to curl her hair like that?

"Come on Selph, it was just a joke." He said, a tiny bit of remorse in his voice. His voice was like smoke, drifting and swirling around her like magic. She still had her back turned on him. Without warning he wrapped his lithe arms around her and held her closely to him. Only covering her in more paint. Her breath hitched as she felt his chest rise and fall as she leaned against him. "This was a great plan Selph." She could hear the smile in his voice, making her blush even more. He turned her around to face him, a serious look on his face as he watched her. Strange eyes tracing every feature of her young face. "You know I'll always be here for you, right Selphie?"

"Of course, your my friend. I'll be here for you too." She smiled, not sure why he was saying this. "Are you leaving too?" She asked suddenly, a tear stung the edge of her eyes.

"I'm going to Twilight Town with Roxas, we've got jobs and an apartment all lined up there. He'll be going to school while I work on some community college classes."

"You didn't get accepted anywhere else?"

"Nah, didn't really apply, figured I'd know what needed to be done by the time I graduated. I'm just sort of winging it and seeing what happens." He gave her that playful smirk. She looked down for a moment and then wrapped her arms around him, he had changed. He wasn't that skinny little kid he was when he first came, he had grown up. She just wanted to cry into his paint splattered shirt, and forget. Everyone was leaving, with these big plans, these new lives, and she was going to be stuck here all alone. She wanted to get out too, to find her place too, she didn't want to stay with her parents forever. Selphie wanted to get out of the nest, she wanted to fly.

He stroked her chocolaty hair, turning it green and held her around the waist with his other arm.

"What am I going to do?" She asked, her voice muffled.

"Your going to outdo us all, that's what you're going to do." He smiled brightly at her. Selphie managed a weak grin as a few tears slipped from her eyes. The smile drifted from his face and a curious looked passed over his features, he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Selphie felt the blood rise to her face.

"Dork." She said and pushed him away, her cheeks still bright red. Axel smirked while looking down on her and laid a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"C'mon kiddo, let's go see what the others are up to."

They walked together out to the parking lot, where Roxas' car was missing, he had no doubt gone home to e-mail all the photos to Selphie and the girls. Riku was arguing with Paine beside her car. Something about 'how dare she lie to him about where his girlfriend was.' Sora and Kairi were being all cuddly as they said their goodbyes. Yuffie was gone too, no doubt following Roxas home so they could send out the photos together. Rikku and Wakka were talking energetically.

"I should probably head home." Selphie said, vaguely wondering where Yuna and Tidus had headed off to.

"Yeah, I'll see you later Selph." He looked at her, a strange emotion in his green eyes. Sadness? She bit her lip before awkwardly hugging him again. Grateful to have him there for her. He returned the embrace and (she thought) reluctantly let go.

"Seeya Axel."

Selphie was quickly thrust out of her sour mood when Tidus and Yuna walked up hand in hand, a green splatter of paint on her cheek from where he had kissed her.

Rikku whooped and cheered.

"Bout time you two got together!" She shouted across the parking lot, making Yuna blush.

Selphie smiled brightly. Another memory, she would never forget.


	3. Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom

It was about ten thirty by the time Selphie made it home. She was so happy for Yuna and Tidus, they'd been crushing on each other for at least two years now.

But that was just another thing that made her life feel even more ordinary.

With a sigh she parked the car in the driveway and made her way up the front steps of her brightly painted blue house.

"Hey mom, hey dad!" She called as she bounded through the door.

"Hey Selphie…what happened to your hair?" Her father asked with an arched brow. Instead of staring at his computer screen like he had been when she left, he was engrossed in a thick book. Probably science or something.

"Axel." Selphie said, as if that explained everything. Which in a way it did.

"I see." He said and went back to reading.

"Where's mom at?" She asked looking around, the kitchen had been cleaned, which irritated Selphie since that was her job. She couldn't stand it when her mom did her chores for her. It made her feel lazy.

"Upstairs." He stated.

Selphie skipped her way up the stairs, her mind still focused on that conversation with Axel. What did he mean that she'd outdo them all? And why did he give her a kiss?

Selphie walked past her bedroom to find the door open, her mom was sitting on the bed. Selphie walked inside and sat down at the foot of the bed.

"What's up Mom?"

"Can we talk now?"

"Sure. What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Selphie…" She sighed, her mothers brown eyes looked down to the box in her hand. Selphie followed her gaze and held back a gasp.

"Where did you…?" Selphie trailed off.

"Wakka brought it over to me last week, said it fell out of your backpack when you were at his house."

"Did you…Read it?" Selphie squeaked, her heart felt like it was about to explode she was so nervous.

"Yes…I know I shouldn't have, but Selphie, this is amazing. I always knew that it was one of your best classes, but I didn't know you were this good."

"What does it matter. I'm not a real writer anyways. I'm going to be a doctor, remember?" Selphie said trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She wanted to please her parents, to make them happy, more than anything in the world.

"Selphie," Her mother said, her voice warm and comforting. She reached out a hand to her child, who felt so much like a little girl right then. Selphie took it and curled up in her mothers arms, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. "You don't want to be a doctor, do you?"

Selphie barely shook her head no. She didn't want to hurt her mothers feelings, she didn't want her to be disappointed.

"This is what you want to do, isn't it?" Selphie barely nodded as her mother gestured towards the box.

"But Mom, Daddy wants me to become a doctor, he wants me to make a real living for myself."

"Selphie, if you don't love it, then it's not a living. That's an existence. If you want to live life, you have to _live _it. Not just let others tell you what they want you to do. Your father just had you pursue that because he thought it was best for you. But in the end, the choice is yours." She paused and stroked Selphie's paint splattered hair. "Since when did you let life become so ordinary?"

After they had sat in silence for a while Selphie's mom left the room to let her think. Selphie sat on her bed and pulled the box in question over to her with a sigh. She had two or three novels written in her pretty spiral bound notebooks. There were short stories too, and dozens of poems. She had kept this box in her backpack for months, when she lost it she nearly had a heart attack. She was so glad that Wakka had found it, but she wished her mother hadn't. Her last sentence kept running around in her head.

"_Since when did you let life become so ordinary?"_

Had she? Had Selphie really let life get away from her, she was always the dreamer when they were little, always the princess, the storyteller. When had all that stopped? She remembered, one day, after she had come home late from playing pretend with Tidus at their little island playground, her father had been so upset.

"_Damn it Selphie, you had us worried sick! It's about time you got your head out of the clouds and started to act grown up. This is getting ridiculous."_

She remembered that night so well, it had crushed her, and after that she became determined to never disappoint her parents again.

Selphie sifted through the papers, all written on with her neat cursive, all the I's dotted with hearts. She loved stories, she wrote every chance she got, another reason she was so tired in school all the time. She'd stay up all hours of the night, writing, watching the words flow from her pen.

Tonight would be another night without sleep. She had so much to think about, this decision could change everything for the better if it succeeded…But if it failed she'd be stuck in medical school forever.

With a slight smile she made her way over to her large mahogany desk and sat down, spreading all her poems and stories out in plain sight. She'd never left them out in the open like this. She pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and one of her pink pens, and started to write. A smile crossed her face as her pen scratched across the paper. By the time she finally went to sleep, the early light of dawn was slipping warmly through her window.


	4. Planning  Stages

Planning Stages

Selphie slept only a few hours before her excitement couldn't be contained anymore. With a grin she threw on a warm shirt and some jeans, the air was chilly this time of year. Selphie gathered her story box, plenty of blank papers, and all sorts of things in her backpack before rushing down the stairs.

"You're up early." Her mother said with a yawn as she went to get her coffee.

"Yup, I gotta go, I'm heading out to the Play Island for a while." Selphie said, making her way towards the dark front door. She nearly tripped on the edge of the blue-grey couch as she ran by. She grabbed her sweater from the coat rack and pulled it on.

"Why are you heading there?"

"I've got some thinking to do and an idea to try out. Love you so much Mom, thanks for the talk last night. I'll see you later, bye!" She said, and with that Selphie zoomed out the door and down the street. Off to the docks to find a boat and row herself out to her childhood hang out.

…

Selphie rowed the boat towards the little island, wishing she had done just a little better in gym. No wonder she always had Tidus do this. It was exhausting.

By the time she had made it to the little island her arms felt like they were going to fall off, but at least she'd made it. She stretched and got out of the boat, glad her backpack hadn't gotten wet.

Selphie smiled, when she was little she had always been a princess on this island, Tidus and Wakka had been her knights. Maybe she could find a little bit of that magic to help build this new plan of hers. This dangerous new idea.

Selphie walked onto the beach and pulled off her shoes, she rolled up her jeans as she dug her toes into the cool sand.

The air was so calm as it blew gently on the waves, she smiled and pulled off her sweater as well. There was so much to think about, so much to decide. She pulled a notebook out of her bag and set it on her knees.

Her writing had always been her greatest, most magical dream, along with her biggest fear. She was terrified of people seeing it, of judging her on it, she was scared they would all say she wasn't good enough.

But she remembered another girl, a different Selphie, one from years ago, who didn't care what anybody thought, so long as what she did made her happy. She remembered a young girl with dreams as endless as the sky. She remembered having wings then. Wings to fly to her dreams with. Why had she let them go?

…

It was sunset now, she had spent hours there with her list, her ideas. The notebook that sat on her knees had been written on, scribbled out, flipped to the next page, and written again.

Her ideas whispered and laughed with her, guided her along until she found the right words to put on her precious papers.

Selphie took in a sharp breath to steady herself. She had a plan, at least the beginning part, and she had a list. If she was really going to go through with this, she'd have to decide it now. There was always the chance it'd fail, that she really would have to go to Medical school. But she couldn't give this up, she had to try.

This plan was destined to succeed, she could feel it.

Selphie closed her grassy green eyes and felt the gentle breeze caress her skin, blowing the hair softly from her face. The sand was grainy and cool beneath her bare toes.

She cherished this place so much, the memories of her and Tidus fighting and racing, Wakka always being referee, the games of being a damsel in distress. But now wasn't the time to be reflecting, now it was time to move forward, to embrace this thing she feared and loved so much, and to go at it with everything she was.

She put all of her items into her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she stood. So this was it. She had a plan, she had a list, and this was what she wanted to do. This was what she needed to do.

"Hey, I thought I was the only one who still came out here." Came a smoky voice, it mingled with the sounds of the ocean waves. Selphie turned abruptly.

"Hi Axel, what are you doing here?"

"I've been in the tree house since about dawn, kind of just wanted to get away from everything. I must've fell asleep up there. What about you?" Axel came and sat down in the sand where she had been a moment ago.

Selphie smiled and plopped down next to him, she laid her bag carefully on the ground as they sat there, staring at the crimson sunset. Crimson like his hair.

"I…" She paused, she knew she could tell Axel anything, but it still felt strange. It felt strange to bring this all out into the open. "I was coming up with a plan."

"A plan? For what?" He asked, he folded his arms behind his head and laid down in the sand, looking up at her with those eyes.

"A plan for the next few months, until school starts. I didn't want to just be stuck here while everyone else was out on some adventure. I wanted to go on an adventure too. So I came up with a list of things I had to complete in the next few months and…" Selphie trailed off, her innocent eyes turning towards the sunset again.

"And?" He prodded, trying to get her to continue.

"And, if I do that, then maybe I won't have to become a doctor after all." Selphie said it so quietly he almost didn't hear it over the sound of the water.

"What do you want to be then, Selph?"

She bit her lip, she had hoped he wouldn't ask. But this was the first item on her list anyways. She had to overcome her fear of people's opinions.

"I want to be a writer."

"I didn't know you liked writing." Axel sat up with a smirk.

"No one did, not really anyways. I've kept it a secret, almost forever. I think the only one who suspected anything was Wakka, cause he was in the writing class with me."

"What do you write?"

"Stories." She said simply, nervous about going on further.

"About?"

Selphie smiled to herself, Axel seen that little spark come back into her eyes. That innocent glow that was sometimes so wise. A grin spread itself over her face and it looked like she was in another world entirely as she started talking.

"About everything. About romance, adventure, mystery, love, about the darkest nights and the most beautiful mornings, about the deepest darkness, and the ultimate light. I write what my heart puts into my head." She paused. "And sometimes, the words don't even seem to come from me…It's like they come from something bigger, something outside me. Something so brilliant and beautiful I can't even tell what it is yet."

"Sounds like you've made up your mind then."

"Huh?"

"I know you Selph, if you love something that much, you'll go out and get it. I guarantee you'll make it too." Axel grinned brightly, his lively eyes caught the last trace of sunlight, making them look even more magical.

"But what if I don't?" Her voice had lost that brave, wondrous tone from earlier, and now she stared down at the sand. Her eyes dull after coming back to the real world.

"You will."

"But wha-"

"No!" Selphie jumped as his voice raised. "You will, I know you can do this, have the courage to believe that you can." He bit his lip and entwined his fingers with hers, she blushed slightly, making him smirk. She had always had a crush on him, it'd been obvious since the beginning. But he didn't want to put her through that, didn't want to break her heart by mistake. She didn't need to be held down by him, she had to be free, she had to be able to fly. Maybe one day this would work. But for now…He'd settle for this.

Selphie gave him one of her sunlight grins and looked down at their hands, the pink blush still on her cheeks. He closed his eyes with a sigh, he knew what he _wanted _to do, but he couldn't. Not yet. He had to wait, if he kissed her she'd for sure think that they were a couple.

"Axel?" She said, turning her gaze back to the sky, the first stars were peaking out from behind the purple curtain that was slowly turning black.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks, for believing in me."

"Not a problem, just doing my job."

She giggled and shoved his arm with her shoulder lightly. With a nervous glance upwards at him, she leaned against his shoulder, watching the sun set. She felt the waves lap at her feet. The silence then was beautiful, it held so many unspoken secrets, so many promises of what was to come. Axel smiled to himself and rested his head against hers. He could settle for this.

…

Axel had volunteered to row Selphie back to the island, he towed his boat behind hers as they made their way home. She looked up at the countless stars, so many thoughts and ideas lingering in her mind.

Now instead of being left behind, she would be carving her own way, her own path in this world of hers. Now the hardest part remained…Telling her parents.

…

"You can't be serious!" Her father exclaimed. He was sitting with her mother on the blue-grey couch as Selphie made her proposition. She stood in front of them, fingertips pushed together nervously.

"Daddy, just hear me out, this won't interfere at all with my Medical School stuff, I can still go. I just wanted to have…" She trailed off nervously.

"An adventure." Her mother finished for her firmly, giving her father that arched eyebrow look that meant he should agree with her.

"Exactly, and it's not like I'm ditching on school…I just wanted to see if I…"

"If you could what?" He said, trying not to snap. Why couldn't she just see that he wanted what was best for her? Selphie looked up, strong resolve in her green eyes, oh dear, she _had _gotten that side of her mother.

"I wanted to see if I really could be a writer. If I'm any good at it."

"Your fine at it, I'm sure, but that's not the sort of profession for you-"

"How do you know?" Selphie didn't mean to snap, but her father had always discouraged her from her ideas. When she was seven and wanted to be a ballerina he said athletes have a very short career, too short. When she was ten and wanted to be a singer he said the industry was too rough for her, and now all he wanted was this ridiculous medical school dream. "Newsflash Dad, I don't want to be a doctor!" She said and stomped up to her room, leaving her parents alone to talk.

This morning she had had wings, her father had successfully plucked them off. Why didn't he understand? She didn't want an ordinary life, and sure doctors were respected, but she couldn't stand hospitals with that too clean smell and sick feeling. That's not what she loved, not what she wanted at all.

Her mother understood, she no doubt agreed with Selphie. They usually agreed on everything. Selphie could always tell her mother everything, and her mother would always understand. But her father…He'd never understood. He was completely blank when it came to teenage girls, when she went on her first date he had nearly interrogated the poor kid who was going out with her. Sure he was just being protective, but this was going too far.

After a few minutes she could just barely hear her parents voices from the living room, her mother had that defiant tone of voice that Selphie loved so much. She was arguing Selphie's case!

Maybe her dad would except the idea after he seen the merit in it, and that it really wouldn't mess up her medical school plans. After nearly twenty minutes of just laying on her bed, contemplating all this, she heard footsteps approaching her door.

She sat up abruptly, green eyes wide with hope and just a little bit of fear that the plan was over before it had even begun. Selphie bit her lip as her mother walked inside and softly shut Selphie's door behind her.

Why did she look so sad? So disappointed? Had he really said no?

"Selphie…" Her mother took a seat and grabbed her daughters hands. She looked at her with a few tears in her deep brown eyes. "Go for it. Make us proud, and show this world what your really made of."

Selphie's eyes welled up with tears and she took in a sharp breath. She wrapped her arms around her mother tightly and grinned. This couldn't be happening, was it really this easy?

"There's still a lot to plan, a lot to decide before you do all this, but you have the okay from your father. So long as you provide as much as possible for yourself. He wants to see that your ready to leave the nest. But if there's any trouble-"

"I know Mom, I'll call you, I promise." Selphie smiled. A few more tears slipped from her mothers eyes as she looked at her little girl, who was so grown up now. She could only hope and pray that she had raised her right and that Selphie had taken all of her words of wisdom to heart. Now it was time to let go and let her daughter find her dreams, just like she had found hers.

"Where's the first destination?" Her mother asked, with a sad smile.

"Twilight Town." Selphie said, her voice firm and overflowing with joy. She couldn't believe all of this. This was just the beginning of her dream, sure, but at least it had a beginning. She didn't think it would at all.

Her mother left the room, a few tears still fresh in her warm eyes, and left Selphie to finish her plans. She felt insane for letting her daughter do this, but she knew, with all her heart, that Selphie was ready for this. She could do this.

Selphie stood from her bed and looked at her full length mirror. As a child she had looked at it so many times and imagined a princess looking back at her.

With a bright smile Selphie turned and looked at herself in the mirror, so different from that child of so long ago. But maybe she could have just a little of her back, just enough to keep the magic alive while remaining mature.

…

The next few days passed in a blur, there were so many preparations, so many plans to be made. Selphie had enough money saved to handle the first leg of her trip, from there she'd have to rely on odd jobs. It was so exciting and frightening she could hardly breathe. This was it. She was going to fly.

Her mother was there with her, helping her to plan everything, pointing out little things that she had overlooked. Selphie had never been more grateful for her mom than those late nights and early mornings. Her father seemed different, distant, like he didn't approve of this at all. Like he expected Selphie to fail. She wouldn't. She couldn't, this was a real chance at the life she wanted. Maybe if she succeeded he'd see that.

No one knew, except for Axel of course, that she was planning anything at all. They just thought that she was going through another of those phases where she just didn't want to hang out with anybody. She couldn't wait to tell everyone. While they were making their announcements at the graduation party, that's when she'd tell them the news. She felt like she couldn't breathe when she thought of that. What would they think?

Selphie shook her head. Now wasn't the time to think about stuff like that.

She had spent all week, working out plans, earning extra money working for Aerith, and figuring out just what she should wear.

Before long, the plans had been made, the list's written, re-written, and then written again. Her plans had been made, traveling arrangements all finished, and the big day had arrived.

It was finally Saturday, she couldn't believe how fast everything had happened, last week she had been moping about thinking she would be all alone, and now she was striking out to find her way. She was graduating High School!


End file.
